The carcass of a second basking shark has washed up on the coast of West Cork just days after the discovery of an unusually fresh specimen 20km away.
According to Cork Beo, the second large fish was found at the weekend near Courtmacsherry and is believed to have been dead for some time.
Another basking shark carcass measuring a whopping seven metres that beached at Inchydoney last week presented a rare opportunity for marine biologists to examine relatively fresh remains.
Sad event, but this basking shark that washed up in Cork on the weekend provided valuable info on the physiology and anatomy of these incredible animals. More knowledge = more effective conservation ?. Thanks Padraig @IWDGnews and @Corkcoco for help! @TCDZoology @IrishResearch pic.twitter.com/frTcCMPjsF
— Nicholas Payne (@nicklpayne) April 26, 2021
It’s unknown how the female shark died, but dissection revealed that the marine wildlife giant still had food in its stomach.
“It’s sad of course to see such a big beautiful animal like that, but it’s good to try and get something positive out of it,” Trinity lecturer Dr Nicholas Payne said.
Basking sharks have been spotted in great numbers off West Cork this month, with video of a kayaker surrounded by the second biggest fish in the sea making a splash last week.
Basking sharks with kayaker Paul Cleary this morning off Red Strand #WestCork. Best viewed in full screen. These are the 2nd largest fish on the planet. Bigger shark here is ~20ft long. #Cork #Ireland @BaskingIrish @IWDGnews @wildatlanticway @theskibeagle @CorksRedFM @Corks96FM pic.twitter.com/jSjTKy9Lu3
— Intothewild Ireland (@intothewild45) April 20, 2021
